Canadian Rockies Blog

Rocky Mountain Holidays now have all 2012 Rocky Mountaineer packages available for download. We are glad to see they have kept most of the packages the same with some of the popular packages having additional cruise ship departures added. One new route we are excited about is the “Coastal Passage” route which connects Seattle and Vancouver with the Rocky Mountaineer Train. The Whistler Mountaineer will no longer have dome service available for 2012. The dome trains used on the Vancouver to Whistler route will now be used for the new SilverLeaf service in 2012 which was introduced this year. For your convenience, we have provided links to all of the packages below. Alternatively, you can visit Rocky Mountain Holidays direct for their Rocky Mountaineer package download page.

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Posted in 2012, available, banff, banff national park, british columbia, brochure downloads, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, download-brochure, early-booking, eastern canada, free-vancouver-tour, halifax, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, information, itinerary, jasper, jasper national park, lake louise, links, one-way, package, packages, prices, rail, rates, reference, resource, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, round-trip, schedule, sea to sky, seattle, self-drive, summer, summer vacations, things-to-do, toronto, tourism, tours, train, travel, update, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, victoria, western-canada, whistler, whistler-mountaineer | No Comments »

What a great start we have had to 2011 with about a metre of snow received by the ski resorts across Western Canada over the past week! Now that we are into 2011, the busy summer season does not seem so far away. With the early-bird deals starting to “fizzle” out or become less attractive for the summer, especially with the Rocky Mountaineer train packages, now is a good time to get a good deal on a 2011 spring, summer or autumn/fall package. Rocky Mountain Holidays have brochure downloads in PDF (Portable Document Format) and as always, we have provided the links below for easy reference. These packages can be easily customised based on your preferences (as long as the changes fit in with the rail or cruise schedule). Be sure to take advantage of specials such as free nights and activities in Vancouver – value added rather than discounts are the way to go.

Self-drive holidays are becoming increasingly popular in the Canadian Rockies as it gives you the independence but you also have full support when you are out here and the peace of mind that you won’t struggle to find accommodation during the peak season months in the Canadian Rockies. When booking a self-drive package, check to see if you have Loss Damage Waiver insurance coverage with your credit card provider as this can save you about $30 per day. Also, check out what the one way drop-off fees are from Vancouver to Calgary for example. When you book independently they can be as much as several hundred dollars whereas through a tour operator, typically the rates are about $75-$100.

Other things to look out for if you are shopping around are hidden fees such as “credit card surcharges”. This is a common technique used by some companies to squeeze some extra cash out of you after you have already agreed to the booking. It is also good to ask the straight question – “what extra costs will I have to pay in additional to the package price?”. Any good tour operator will be able to list these for you immediately so you know where you stand with the total of your holiday cost.

Here are the holiday brochures for 2011 – available for download through RockyMountainHolidays.com.

• Rocky Mountaineer Train Holidays 2011
• Alberta Holidays (5 pages) 2011
• British Columbia Holidays (3 pages) 2011
• Coach Holidays in Canada (4 pages) 2011
• Train Holidays in Canada (7 pages) 2011
• Holidays in Eastern Canada (3 pages) 2011
• Holidays in Canada (23 pages) 2011

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2011.

Posted in 2011, accommodation, advice, alberta, august, autumn, banff, banff national park, blackcomb, british columbia, brochure downloads, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, canmore, coach holidays, deal, discount, discounted-package, download-brochure, early-bird-discount, early-booking, eastern canada, fairmont-package, fall, Fernie, free-vancouver-tour, heavy snowfall, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, itinerary, jasper, July, kicking horse, kicking_horse, kimberley, lake louise, links, may, new year, north america, october, package, packages, panorama, powder, preparation, prices, rail, rates, reference, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, round-trip, Sale, self-drive, snow, snowfall, special, spring, storm, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, things-to-do, things-to-remember, tips, tourism, tours, train, travel, update, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, victoria, western-canada, whistler, whistler blackcomb, whistler-mountaineer | No Comments »

EPIC KOKANEE CRANKWORX EVENTS ROLL OFF MOUNTAIN AND INTO THE NIGHT

Deraylor Music Festival And Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge Back For Second Year

WHISTLER, BC July 29 , 2010 – The world saw Whistler go off this February, and that spirit and vibe will be back in full force with Whistler’s other big event, Kokanee Crankworx.  With a sporting event roster matched by none, Kokanee Crankworx throws down huge in the special events department to keep the energy and excitement flowing day and night.

BLOCK PARTY – Skier’s Plaza August 7, 8:30pm

First up to kick start the biggest mountain biking festival on the planet is the Block Party.  This community event is free for all participants and will take place in Skier’s Plaza and the Boneyard.  The tenth anniversary of bike movie mavens Freeride Entertainment will be celebrated with a showing of their first film, New World Disorder 1. This movie epic played a huge part in bringing the sport of freeride mountain biking to where it is today. Huge outdoor screens, prizes, interviews from the original crew and a few surprises will make the Block Party an incredible all-ages launch for Kokanee Crankworx. The party will continue for those of age at the GLC with Metallica cover band Damage Inc. The $5 cover includes a live feed of the Block Party inside, great views of the action outside, an epic after party with Damage Inc and, of course, ice cold Kokanee will be flowing all night long.

PECHA KUCHA NIGHT – Maxx Fish, August 9, 7:30pm

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of “chit chat,” Pecha Kucha will open minds with an eccentric mix of Whistler locals presenting stories and photos. Each presentation will move through 20 images shown for 20 seconds each. Current presenters include Tyler Schramm, Schramm Vodka; Rick Harry, Aboriginal Artist; Keith Reynolds, Playground Builders; Robin O’Neill, Photographer; Peter Alder, Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners; Leslie Anthony, Writer, Paula Shackleton, Bookbuffet; and Carla Gutierrez, Fitness Model.  Tickets are $7 at the door or at Hot Buns Bakery.

SAINT DEEP SUMMER PHOTO CHALLENGE – Fairmont Chateau Whistler, August 11, 7pm

The Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge is back for 2010 with an unbelievable list of confirmed photographers. Paul Morrison, Sven Martin, Nicolas Teichrob, Jordan Manley and two wildcard photographers, Steve Lloyd and Adrian Marcoux will work against the clock to create a slideshow from images shot over three days in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and on Whistler’s cross-country trails. Each show will be presented to a live audience of over 1,000 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Tickets are $17 and on sale now at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations.

DERAYLOR MUSIC FESTIVAL – Whistler’s Best Nightclubs, August 11-13

The Deraylor Music Festival takes place August 11, 12 and 13 with the Deraylor wristband granting access to more than 40 artists in six venues over three days for only $40. Venues include the Garibaldi Lift Company, Garfinkel’s, Maxx Fish, Merlin’s, Moe Joe’s and Tommy Africa’s.  The current Deraylor line-up includes strong talent such as DJ Nu-Mark (from Jurassic Five), Mike Relm, BCDC, Fort Knox Five, DJ Jelo, Marcus Visionary, Said the Whale, Hannah Georgas, Mishka and illScarlett and many more. The first 100 tickets sold online will also receive access to the exclusive Kokanee Silent Disco party at the GLC on Saturday, August 14. Admission to all shows is through a $40 Festival wristband only, and are subject to age (19+) and capacity restrictions.  Visit www.deraylor.com for all ticket and event information.

Tags: BLOCK PARTY, Chateau Whistler, crankworx, DERAYLOR MUSIC FESTIVAL, PECHA KUCHA NIGHT, SAINT DEEP SUMMER PHOTO CHALLENGE
Posted in 2010, august, blackcomb, Canada, hotel, information, itinerary, kokanee, Mountain Bike, mountain_bike, preparation, prices, rates, resource, schedule, summer, summer-2010, western-canada, whistler, whistler blackcomb | No Comments »

We are not even into August 2010 yet and the rates have been released for all Rocky Mountaineer Train and Cruise Holiday packages for 2011. They have kept most of the packages the same as 2010 but have added an Alaska cruise from Seattle onboard Holland America’s ms Oosterdam to seven of their existing popular 2010 train holiday packages. Alaska cruises from Vancouver for 2011 are still onboard the Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam, which, in our opinion, has to be one of, if not, the best cruise ship sailing up to Alaska from Vancouver, Canada.

Below are the new 2011 Rocky Mountaineer train holiday packages with the Seattle cruise add-on. The links are to PDF documents on RockyMountainHolidays.com.

Rocky Mountaineer with Cruise to Alaska from Seattle

• Classic Rail Circle with Cruise from Seattle – 16 nights / 17 days
• Canadian Rockies Getaway with Cruise from Seattle – 16 nights / 17 days
• Canadian Rockies Circle with Cruise from Seattle – 17 nights / 18 days
• Classic Journey through the Clouds, Vancouver to Jasper with Cruise from Seattle – 11 nights / 12 days
• Western Explorer with Cruise from Seattle – 15 nights / 16 days
• Canadian Rockies at Leisure with Cruise from Seattle – 17 nights / 18 days
• Journey through the Clouds Discovery Drive with Cruise from Seattle – 15 nights / 16 days

New Rocky Mountaineer Holiday Products for 2011

• Explore Victoria and Seattle – 2 nights / 3 days
• Golden Circle via Whistler with Cruise – 17 nights / 18 days

There have not been any major changes to the 2010 Rocky Mountaineer packages for 2011. Any changes are “tweaks” to already very popular and exciting train holiday packages.

Changes to Existing 2010 Products for 2011

• All tours that overnight in Vancouver now include admission to the Vancouver Lookout
• All tours that overnight in Calgary now include admission to the Calgary Tower
• RedLeaf Service pre- or post-cruise tour packages now utilize Ocean- View Staterooms (Category D).
• GoldLeaf Service pre- or post-cruise tour packages continue to use Deluxe Verandah Ocean-View Staterooms (Category VC).
• Classic Rail Circle now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore.
• Grand Rail Circle now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore
• Canadian Rockies Highlights now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore.
• Canadian Rockies Highlights – 5 nights is also available; this is the same as the 2010 Canadian Rockies Highlights.
• Canadian Rockies Circle is now 9 nights in duration instead of 12 nights.
• The westbound itineraries of Trans-Canada Rail Adventure, Canada’s Coast to Coast by Rail, and the post-tour cruise options of these packages now include 2 nights in Jasper plus a Jasper highlights motorcoach tour, but only one night in Lake Louise.
• City Stop add-on products are able to be sold independently, with rail-only, or in conjunction with any Rocky Mountaineer packages. Please note that transportation to/from the station or airport is not included in any City Stop packages.
• Taxi transfers to/from cruise terminals in Vancouver are no longer included.
• Travel documentation will advise of estimated taxi transfer rates, and limousine transfers available for purchase.

Discontinued 2010 Rocky Mountaineer Holiday Products

• The Exclusive Attraction Pass will no longer be offered, and has been removed from all 2011 packages
• 2010 Classic Rail Holiday – Whistler to Jasper (3 nights / 4 days) Holiday has been replaced by Canadian Rockies and Whistler which is 4 nights / 5 days (includes a night in Vancouver and the Whistler Sea to Sky Climb).
• 2010 Canadian Rockies and Vancouver has been discontinued.

New for 2011 – Child and Youth Rates

New for 2011, Rocky Mountaineer holiday packages now include rates for youths (ages 12-18) and children (ages 2-11) when travelling with at least one single adult guest.

The published child and youth prices will apply for a maximum of 1 child or youth sharing with 1 adult. Parties of 1 adult and 2 or more children/youths will have to be booked with a minimum of 2 adults. It is not possible to book a single room with more than 2 persons sharing.

These are all the changes to the Rocky Mountaineer Holiday packages for 2011. Rocky Mountaineer package information which include cruises up to Alaska from Vancouver or Seattle can be all found at RockyMountainHolidays.com. You can view all the latest Rocky Mountaineer early-bird deals there too.

Tags: Alaska, alaska cruise, banff train, calgary train, changes, cruise, Holland America, jasper train, Oosterdam, train holidays, vancouver train, Zuiderdam
Posted in 2010, 2011, available, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, change, download-brochure, early-bird-discount, early-booking, fairmont-package, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, itinerary, jasper, package, packages, preparation, prices, rail, rates, resource, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, schedule, seattle, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, tourism, tours, train, travel, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, western-canada, whistler, whistler-mountaineer | No Comments »

Posted in 2010, accommodation, advice, alberta, banff, banff national park, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, jasper, lake louise, package, packages, preparation, rail, resource, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, schedule, self-drive, summer, summer vacations, summer-2010, summer-holiday, things-to-do, tips, tourism, tours, train, travel, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, victoria, western-canada, whistler | No Comments »

With the introduction of the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in British Columbia, Rocky Mountaineer Holiday packages will increase by up to 7%.

For those of you who are planning to book your holiday in Canada, or are about to book your holiday, be sure to read the following as you could save up to 7%. If you book and pay in full by the end of this month (April 2010), then you will only have to pay the standard Federal goods and services tax (GST) of 5%.

The Province of British Columbia, Canada, has tabled legislation to introduce a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) on goods and services, effective July 1, 2010. This tax will merge federal (GST) and provincial taxes (PST) into one single amount, the HST and will, unfortunately, increase the cost of your Rocky Mountaineer® Holiday by up to 7%.

The HST applies to all Rocky Mountaineer bookings with travel dates beginning in Canada after July 1, 2010.

Below summarises three options for consideration in the implementation of HST:

1. Bookings received prior to May 1, 2010 with a payment due date by April 30, 2010

Transitional rules allow bookings made prior to May 1, 2010 to be taxed under the old GST rules if the payment is due and paid for by April 30, 2010.

2. Bookings made after April 30th, for travel before July 1, 2010

Transitional rules allow bookings made prior as of May 1, 2010, for travel before July 1, 2010 to be taxed under the old GST rules.

3. Tax rate increases for bookings made after April 30th, for travel after July 1, 2010

The changes required to comply with the new HST will result in tax increases to an effective rate of 8% – 11% for Rocky Mountaineer bookings. Please note the following exceptions: Whistler Sea to Sky bookings all have a 12% tax rate, bookings with a cruise or VIA Rail component will have a tax rate determined by the originating province of the trip.

Posted in 2010, accommodation, adjustment, advice, April, Canada, canadian rockies, change, early-bird-discount, early-booking, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, package, packages, prevention, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, sea to sky, summer-2010, tips, train, update, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, victoria, warning, western-canada, whistler, whistler-mountaineer | No Comments »

WHISTLER, BC August 6, 2009 – Whistler is readying itself to welcome the world with Kokanee Crankworx, the world’s largest freeride mountain bike festival, kicking off in just two days. Now in its sixth year, the event has grown from a grassroots celebration of gravity-fueled mountain biking, to a festival spanning nine days; drawing over 300 of the world’s best mountain bike athletes, over 150 accredited media and tens of thousands of spectators.

“Kokanee Crankworx is another great opportunity for Whistler to test its ability to host a major event,” says Jeremy Roche, General Manager of Kokanee Crankworx. “Our pinnacle event, the Monster Energy Slopestyle, drew over 20,000 spectators to the base of Whistler Mountain last year and on Saturday, August 15 we are anticipating to host at least that many again.”

Kokanee Crankworx’s free events, coupled with incredible deals on accommodation and dining in Whistler, bode well for a successful festival, and are expected to drive attendance as visitors seek out high-value experiences this summer..

“This summer we are seeing strong numbers from our destination and regional visitors. This speaks to the momentum and strength of the mountain bike industry, and to the kinds of experiences Whistler Blackcomb offers in the summer, as well as some of the great deals that can be found,” says Roche. “Whistler is now on the ‘must-do’ list with experiences like the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola; and events like Kokanee Crankworx where sport merges with art and music to create an incredible festival experience.”

Kokanee Crankworx will feature free, world-class mountain bike competitions; the Deraylor Music Festival featuring artists like K-OS; and the inaugural Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge slideshow event at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The Crankworx calendar features mountain bike events nearly every day, a Bike Expo and Demo Zone snaking through the village, and athletic spectacles around every bend including the mind-blowing technique of trials gurus Ryan Leech and the Baia Brothers. For those who can’t be in Whistler, organizers are anticipating a worldwide, online audience of over 150,000 through live feeds of the following events in the Pacific Time Zone: Air Downhill, August 13, 5:30-7:30pm; the VW Trick Showdown, August 14, 6-9pm; and the iconic Monster Energy Slopestyle, August 15, 5:30-7:30pm on Go211.com and www.crankworx.com.

While Whistler Blackcomb has been affected by two wildfires on Blackcomb Mountain in the last week, they have been quickly managed thanks to the Ministry of Forests and Range, the Whistler Fire Department and Whistler Blackcomb staff. At this point there is no concern that wildfires could impact Kokanee Crankworx as these occurrences have been in isolated areas high on Blackcomb Mountain. Extreme caution is being exercised with on-mountain operations, and sightseeing and hiking continues on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

Posted in 2009, crankworks, crankworx, freeride-mountain-bike, kokanee, whistler | No Comments »

Posted in 2010, august, blackcomb, fire, update, whats-open, whistler | No Comments »

We have a long-term lease available for a one-bedroom unit in Whistler starting November 1 2009. It is located in the Marquise building with ski-in/ski-out close by.

Posted in 1-bedroom, 2009, lease, long-term, marquise, november, one-bedroom, whistler | No Comments »

We are pleased to introduce our updated RockyMountainHolidays.com website. We have made the site simpler to navigate through to help you plan your Rocky Mountain Holiday with us.

This website provides detailed information on the following Canadian locations:

• Banff Information
• Canmore Information
• Lake Louise Information
• Jasper Information
• Kicking Horse Information
• Fernie Information
• Kimberley Information
• Whistler Information
• Vancouver Information
• Calgary Information

In addition, we also provide summarised details on the services we offer:

• Ski Holidays Canada – Our discounted packages include: ski accommodation, lift passes, lessons, transfers, ski rentals and tours.
• Summer Holidays Canada – Let us plan your Rocky Mountain Holiday itinerary for you. We are a one-stop shop and will save you time and money.
• Train Holidays Canada – Travel across Canada on one of our train holidays with VIA rail.
• Rocky Mountaineer Holidays – This day-time only train will maximise your viewing experience.
• Motorcoach Holidays Canada – Relax and let someone else do the driving. Enjoy the views out of the big picture windows.
• Private SUV Holidays – Let our certified guide take you on a private tour.
• Self-Drive Holidays Canada – We do all the planning, you do the driving. Experience the freedom of driving yourself!
• Tours Canada – There are many day tours to add to your Rocky Mountain Holiday package, check out the selection!
• Cruise Holidays Alaska – A cruise of just 7-days out of Vancouver allows you to cruise up to Alaska through the inside passage.

We hope you enjoy our new website and please do not hesitate to contact us through Rocky Mountain Holidays to help plan your holiday in Canada, anytime of the year!

Any feedback on our site you may have can be posted here. Thanks for reading!

Posted in banff, calgary, canmore, Fernie, holidays, jasper, kicking horse, kimberley, lake louise, rocky-mountain-holidays, ski holidays, vancouver, whistler | No Comments »